Best of Muqtada Al-Sadr

Best of Muqtada Al-Sadr

IRAQ-US-MILITARY-WITHDRAW-ANNIVERSARY-PROBLEMS

AHMAD AL-RUBAYE

An Iraqi man stands at his house destroyed by a US air strike in 2008 as the US army was fighting radical Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr's Mahdi militia in Baghdad's Sadr City on December 10, 2012. A US-led coalition invaded Iraq in 2003, toppling dictator Saddam Hussein and beginning a conflict that cost the lives of tens of thousands of Iraqis, thousands of Americans and hundreds of billions of dollars. Almost 10 years later and after that the last convoy of American armoured vehicles rolled across the border into Kuwait on the chilly morning of December 18, 2011, many Iraqis still lack basic services such as consistent electricity and clean water, and though levels of violence are down, insurgents continue to carry out bombings and shootings almost every day. AFP PHOTO/AHMAD AL-RUBAYE

An Iraqi man stands at his house destroyed by a US air strike in 2008 as the US army was fighting radical Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr's Mahdi militia in Baghdad's Sadr City on December 10, 2012. A US-led coalition invaded Iraq in 2003, toppling dictator Saddam Hussein and beginning a conflict that cost the lives of tens of thousands of Iraqis, thousands of Americans and hundreds of billions of dollars. Almost 10 years later and after that the last convoy of American armoured vehicles rolled across the border into Kuwait on the chilly morning of December 18, 2011, many Iraqis still lack basic services such as consistent electricity and clean water, and though levels of violence are down, insurgents continue to carry out bombings and shootings almost every day. AFP PHOTO/AHMAD AL-RUBAYE

Religious Clerics Condemn Danish Cartoon in Baghdad

Akram Saleh

Sheikh Abdul-Hadi al-Daraji (R), spokesman for Muslim Shiite cleric Moqtada Sadr speaks during a press conference as Christian priest Shleimon Wardoni (L) looks on, February 4, 2006 in the Sadr City neighborhood of Baghdad, Iraq. Clerics from various religious and ethnic groups held a press conference in Baghdad in which they condemned the publication of anti-Prophet Muhammad cartoons by a daily Danish publications and attacks against Christian churches in Iraq.

Sheikh Abdul-Hadi al-Daraji (R), spokesman for Muslim Shiite cleric Moqtada Sadr speaks during a press conference as Christian priest Shleimon Wardoni (L) looks on, February 4, 2006 in the Sadr City neighborhood of Baghdad, Iraq. Clerics from various religious and ethnic groups held a press conference in Baghdad in which they condemned the publication of anti-Prophet Muhammad cartoons by a daily Danish publications and attacks against Christian churches in Iraq.

IRAQ-UNREST-SHIITES-SUNNIS-SADR

HAIDAR HAMDANI

Iraqi Shiite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr looks on after a meeting with Salim al-Jabouri, the Parliament's speaker, alongside other parliament Sunni members on April 5, 2015 in the holy city of Najaf. AFP PHOTO / HAIDAR HAMDANI

Iraqi Shiite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr looks on after a meeting with Salim al-Jabouri, the Parliament's speaker, alongside other parliament Sunni members on April 5, 2015 in the holy city of Najaf. AFP PHOTO / HAIDAR HAMDANI

Iraqi Shiite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr spea

SAFIN HAMED

Iraqi Shiite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr speaks during a press conference in the northern Iraqi Kurdish city of Arbil during a visit to Iraq's autonomous Kurdistan region in what his spokesman said was a bid to resolve a crisis between the region and Baghdad on April 26, 2012. AFP PHOTO/SAFIN HAMED

Iraqi Shiite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr speaks during a press conference in the northern Iraqi Kurdish city of Arbil during a visit to Iraq's autonomous Kurdistan region in what his spokesman said was a bid to resolve a crisis between the region and Baghdad on April 26, 2012. AFP PHOTO/SAFIN HAMED

Moqtada al-Sadr Holds Press Conference In Najaf

Saad Serhan

Iraqi radical Shiite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr speaks to reporters during a press conference on March 13, 2006 in the city of Najaf 100 miles south of Baghdad, Iraq. The press conference comes in the wake of a series of car bomb explosions that rocked two busy marketplaces in the Shiite neighborhood of Sadr city in eastern Baghdad. More than 40 people were killed and many more were wounded. (Photo by Saad Serhan/Getty Images).

Iraqi radical Shiite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr speaks to reporters during a press conference on March 13, 2006 in the city of Najaf 100 miles south of Baghdad, Iraq. The press conference comes in the wake of a series of car bomb explosions that rocked two busy marketplaces in the Shiite neighborhood of Sadr city in eastern Baghdad. More than 40 people were killed and many more were wounded. (Photo by Saad Serhan/Getty Images).

IRAQ-POLITICS-CHURCH-SADR

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Iraq's maverick Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr visits Baghdad's Our Lady of Salvation Church before heading to the Friday prayers at a Sunni Muslim mosque on January 4, 2013. In other parts of the country protests in Sunni-majority areas were planned to call for the release of prisoners and criticise Nuri al-Maliki's Shiite-led government. AFP PHOTO / STR

Iraq's maverick Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr visits Baghdad's Our Lady of Salvation Church before heading to the Friday prayers at a Sunni Muslim mosque on January 4, 2013. In other parts of the country protests in Sunni-majority areas were planned to call for the release of prisoners and criticise Nuri al-Maliki's Shiite-led government. AFP PHOTO / STR

Hardline Iraqi sheikh delivers sermon

Scott Peterson

Outspoken Iraqi sheikh Muqtada al-Sadr delivers Friday prayers on July 11, 2003, at the mosque in Kufa, near Najaf, where his father Mohamed Sadeq al-Sadr--one of Iraq's most respected clerics, who was killed by Baathists in 1999--first began giving sermons. The faithful line up in their thousands at the Kufa mosque to hear the cleric give a message of 'wait and see,' regarding the US occupation and new government of Iraq, and how Iraq's majority Shia Muslims should deal with it. Al-Sadr has also sparked a divide within Iraq's clerics, as he faces off with more moderate, and higher ranking religious leaders.

Outspoken Iraqi sheikh Muqtada al-Sadr delivers Friday prayers on July 11, 2003, at the mosque in Kufa, near Najaf, where his father Mohamed Sadeq al-Sadr--one of Iraq's most respected clerics, who was killed by Baathists in 1999--first began giving sermons. The faithful line up in their thousands at the Kufa mosque to hear the cleric give a message of 'wait and see,' regarding the US occupation and new government of Iraq, and how Iraq's majority Shia Muslims should deal with it. Al-Sadr has also sparked a divide within Iraq's clerics, as he faces off with more moderate, and higher ranking religious leaders.

IRAQ-UNREST-SHIITES-SADR-HAKIM

HAIDAR HAMDANI

Iraqi Shiite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr looks on during a meeting to discuss economic and security issues held at Iraqi Shiite Muslim leader Ammar al-Hakim's house in the southern Shiite city of Najaf on January 23, 2015. Al-Sadr expressed his hopes for a unity government and encouraged the efforts of Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi in avoiding previously made mistakes. AFP PHOTO/ HAIDAR HAMDANI

Iraqi Shiite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr looks on during a meeting to discuss economic and security issues held at Iraqi Shiite Muslim leader Ammar al-Hakim's house in the southern Shiite city of Najaf on January 23, 2015. Al-Sadr expressed his hopes for a unity government and encouraged the efforts of Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi in avoiding previously made mistakes. AFP PHOTO/ HAIDAR HAMDANI

Iraqi Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr lea

BULENT KILIC

Iraqi Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr leaves the Armada Hotel after his meeting in Istanbul, on May 2, 2009. Iraq's Shiite radical leader Moqtada al-Sadr, who has not been seen in public for nearly two years, travelled from Iran to Turkey to discuss his country's future.AFP PHOTO/BULENT KILIC

Iraqi Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr leaves the Armada Hotel after his meeting in Istanbul, on May 2, 2009. Iraq's Shiite radical leader Moqtada al-Sadr, who has not been seen in public for nearly two years, travelled from Iran to Turkey to discuss his country's future.AFP PHOTO/BULENT KILIC

Iraqi Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr (R)

BULENT KILIC

Iraqi Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr (R) leaves the Armada Hotel after his meeting in Istanbul, on May 2, 2009. Iraq's Shiite radical leader Moqtada al-Sadr, who has not been seen in public for nearly two years, travelled from Iran to Turkey to discuss his country's future.AFP PHOTO/BULENT KILIC

Iraqi Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr (R) leaves the Armada Hotel after his meeting in Istanbul, on May 2, 2009. Iraq's Shiite radical leader Moqtada al-Sadr, who has not been seen in public for nearly two years, travelled from Iran to Turkey to discuss his country's future.AFP PHOTO/BULENT KILIC

IRAQ-UNREST-SHIITES-SADR

HAIDAR HAMDANI

Iraqi Shiite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr gestures as he delivers a speech to his supporters following Friday prayers at the grand mosque of Kufa in the holy city of Najaf, on April 3, 2015. AFP PHOTO / HAIDAR HAMDANI

Iraqi Shiite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr gestures as he delivers a speech to his supporters following Friday prayers at the grand mosque of Kufa in the holy city of Najaf, on April 3, 2015. AFP PHOTO / HAIDAR HAMDANI

IRAQ-UNREST-SHIITES-SUNNIS-SADR

HAIDAR HAMDANI

Iraqi Shiite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr looks on after a meeting with Salim al-Jabouri, the Parliament's speaker, alongside other parliament Sunni members on April 5, 2015 in the holy city of Najaf. AFP PHOTO / HAIDAR HAMDANI

Iraqi Shiite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr looks on after a meeting with Salim al-Jabouri, the Parliament's speaker, alongside other parliament Sunni members on April 5, 2015 in the holy city of Najaf. AFP PHOTO / HAIDAR HAMDANI

IRAQ-UNREST-SHIITES-SADR-HAKIM

HAIDAR HAMDANI

Iraqi Shiite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr looks on during a meeting to discuss economic and security issues held at Iraqi Shiite Muslim leader Ammar al-Hakim's house in the southern Shiite city of Najaf on January 23, 2015. Al-Sadr expressed his hopes for a unity government and encouraged the efforts of Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi in avoiding previously made mistakes. AFP PHOTO/ HAIDAR HAMDANI

Iraqi Shiite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr looks on during a meeting to discuss economic and security issues held at Iraqi Shiite Muslim leader Ammar al-Hakim's house in the southern Shiite city of Najaf on January 23, 2015. Al-Sadr expressed his hopes for a unity government and encouraged the efforts of Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi in avoiding previously made mistakes. AFP PHOTO/ HAIDAR HAMDANI

IRAQ-UNREST-SHIITES-SADR-HAKIM

HAIDAR HAMDANI

Iraqi Shiite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr (L) and Iraqi Shiite Muslim leader Ammar al-Hakim speak during a meeting to discuss economic and security issues held at Hakim's house in the southern Shiite city of Najaf on January 23, 2015. Al-Sadr expressed his hopes for a unity government and encouraged the efforts of Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi in avoiding previously made mistakes. AFP PHOTO/ HAIDAR HAMDANI

Iraqi Shiite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr (L) and Iraqi Shiite Muslim leader Ammar al-Hakim speak during a meeting to discuss economic and security issues held at Hakim's house in the southern Shiite city of Najaf on January 23, 2015. Al-Sadr expressed his hopes for a unity government and encouraged the efforts of Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi in avoiding previously made mistakes. AFP PHOTO/ HAIDAR HAMDANI

Keywords

TO GO WITH AFP STORY BY MOHAMAD ALI HARISSI An Iraqi man stands at... News PhotoAdult,Air Raid,Baghdad,Conflict,Horizontal,Iraq,Men,Military,Muqtada Al-Sadr,Ruined,Sadr City,Standing,US Military,USA,WarPhotographer AHMAD AL-RUBAYECollection: AFP 2012 AFPTO GO WITH AFP STORY BY MOHAMAD ALI HARISSI
An Iraqi man stands at his house destroyed by a US air strike in 2008 as the US army was fighting radical Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr's Mahdi militia in Baghdad's Sadr City on December 10, 2012. A US-led coalition invaded Iraq in 2003, toppling dictator Saddam Hussein and beginning a conflict that cost the lives of tens of thousands of Iraqis, thousands of Americans and hundreds of billions of dollars. Almost 10 years later and after that the last convoy of American armoured vehicles rolled across the border into Kuwait on the chilly morning of December 18, 2011, many Iraqis still lack basic services such as consistent electricity and clean water, and though levels of violence are down, insurgents continue to carry out bombings and shootings almost every day. AFP PHOTO/AHMAD AL-RUBAYE (Photo credit should read AHMAD AL-RUBAYE/AFP/Getty Images)